Dancing Between Worlds
by Kalira69
Summary: Toby dives eagerly from his bed to take the hand waiting to lead him in a dance that will take him home, for the first time in far too many years.


Written for the 'Under the Stars' space on my **fluffbingo** card for 2019 Q2.

I pictured Toby as being in his early twenties here; he's grown up and even given the mortal world a try only to find it doesn't fit him.

* * *

_Tap tap tap._

Toby stirred at the sound of something at his window, yawning, and then sat up abruptly as it sank in that there was _something at his window_. He looked over and saw a ghostly white shape there, silhouetted against the starry sky, Toby's curtains billowing away as the window trembled in its frame.

He gasped and scrambled out of bed, darting to the window and flinging it open.

The owl's wings fluttered, long primary feathers brushing Toby's cheek, and then he swept back and away rather than slip in through the window. Toby leaned out over the sill and watched him spiral downwards into the garden, and then climbed out after him, walking confidently along the roof of the sunroom below his bedroom, then dropping off it to the soft grass.

"Jareth. . ."

The owl gave a soft call, then was all but hidden away in a swirling spray of sparkles that caught the light of the moon and the stars above. As they drifted down to towards the grass, thinning somewhat, Jareth stepped out of a shimmering patch of air in his true shape. "My prince." he said softly, extending a hand.

Toby put his own in it with a broad smile, breath catching as Jareth immediately pulled him in close. "My king." he said affectionately, leaning against Jareth as he wrapped one arm around Toby's waist, not releasing his hand but twining their fingers together. "Is it time?"

"If you will it," Jareth said with a smile, rubbing his thumb over Toby's hand, "that it can be." He hummed, sounding rather distracted, and Toby sighed, squeezing Jareth's hand in return and swaying with the gentle tug.

Toby tipped his head and looked up at Jareth, so close that even with only the faint moon and starlight he could make out the gold flecks in the Goblin King's eyes. "I wish nothing more than to go _home_." he said honestly, and Jareth smiled, wide and honest.

"Then so we shall, my dearest prince." Jareth promised, bringing Toby's hand up to kiss his knuckles softly. "Dance with me?" he asked, and Toby was already moving with him as he took a step, not thinking of bare feet on the grass or his slouchy pyjama pants around his heels.

Jareth sang softly under his breath, music that slipped in the between spaces from another world spilling out to surround them as they danced together under the stars. The grass under Toby's feet trembled as they moved, and the garden around them began to shimmer and quiver, but Toby had eyes only for Jareth's smiling face and mismatched gaze.

He hardly noticed as the garden and the house he had grown up in dissolved around them in blurring shimmers, replaced by smooth paving beneath their feet, hedges and elaborate stone walls around them, the broad side of a castle soaring up at one side. The music grew louder as their feet moved in sure patterns, stepping fully into the Underground, and the sound of Jareth's boots on the stone was suddenly joined by a second pair on Toby's feet as Jareth nudged him out and away, then through a spin and back in close, his pyjamas melting into something close to Jareth's own clothes. "Welcome home, Prince of the Labyrinth."

Toby glanced around for reassurance - he was truly here, no longer trapped in a world that felt _wrong_ and too limited, he was _home_ \- then met Jareth's eyes again.

"Are you happy, To-"

Toby flung his arms around Jareth, drawing him down into a kiss. Jareth hummed, arms winding around Toby's waist in return, offering a tight embrace as he deepened the kiss.

By the time he pulled away, Toby was breathless and leaning on Jareth for support, but he grinned all the same. "_Very_ happy." he said simply, laughing, giddy, and hugged Jareth a little harder as he began to laugh as well, loud and rich with delight.

Toby basked in being caught in his arms, in being _here_, back in the Underground, back where he had belonged his entire life, a place he could now finally step into.

_Happy_ really wasn't a strong enough word for it . . . but it would do, Toby thought as he settled his head on Jareth's shoulder with a contented sigh.


End file.
